November 12, 2005....7 Night Eastern...Who Else?

[barkley]

my massage is monday late afternoon (i'll be sooooo relaxed at palo's that nite ), dh's is thursday afternoon.

i would'nt prebook with points on board cuz dcl considers any change to a dvc point reservation a cancelation and rebooking (another fee, maybe out of use year and points can't be banked anymore...). besides, i think our next "big trip" will be back to wdw to use the days left on the non expiring tickets we are buying for this trip, and some days at universal (we've yet to go there).

 

[STB ON THE BEACH]

OK,,You DVC members - DH and I have yet to listen to Disney's pitch on this....What exactly is their vacation club??? And, how do you accumulate points then spend them???

 

[barkley]

OK,,You DVC members - DH and I have yet to listen to Disney's pitch on this....What exactly is their vacation club??? And, how do you accumulate points then spend them???

first of all if you buy into it you identify me as the person who referred you so i can get whatever little perk they are offering now

the way it works: you buy a set number of points at a set per point price for one of the specific vacation club locations (some are long sold out and only available as a home resort through resale). you are given an assigned use year for your yearly accumulation of points but within specific quidelines you can bank points to the next use year as well as borrow from the following (so you could end up having 3 years worth of points available at a given time)-this is how we cruise on points. your "home resort" is the place you can reserve at the earliest, any of the others open up for reservations x number of days out (kind of like the tier system dcl is now using for making on-line reservations). you can also use points for stays at selected wdw and dl resort hotels, trade outs to holland america (limited choices) cruiseline, and lots of national and international higher end resorts, safari's, bike trips...

in addition to paying for points you also pay dues each year (maintainance and taxes).

most of our contracts exprire in 2042 but there are some for brand new properties that are a bit longer.

you also get-discounts on pap's, some store and restaurant discounts, some wdw activity discounts (like dh's upcoming epcot dive), free parking...

lots of people like that they can use the "villa" style accommodations (1 br has a full washer/dryer, full kitchen) which run in the $300 per nite range for cash reservations.

it's def. not for everyone, but we figured that by the time we've paid the initial note off we'll still have about 30 years of use with only the dues to pay each year.

on, and the charts come out each year that show the point cost for all of the resorts/vacation homes-there are low, middle and high seasons and the point per day cost can vary (this is what we like about the program-we don't have to use all of our points during a particular time of year or all at once, we can break our time up into multiple vacations in multiple locations).

 

[chip&dale&fun]

OK,,You DVC members - DH and I have yet to listen to Disney's pitch on this....What exactly is their vacation club??? And, how do you accumulate points then spend them???

No me, me, mee....meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I can see it now - oh, yeah - those folks with the duck and the Hedgie hog say we need to do this and if we don't they will make us walk the plank, wear neon green wrist bands and drink Margaritas while eating chocolate souflee....

Wait - what's wrong with that?

 

[chip&dale&fun]

What sold us was the "adventure collection".

Take the tour - get the info - get the video - get the name of the agent - and CALL THEM BACK - that way you can thin, discuss, budget etc.....

 

[4formickey]

I think the nurse won the powerball. I wonder how much she will spend on us? 340 millon is a lot of money for the nurse to have. check this link out for shipping your milk.http://www.luggagefree.com/ they do have a code for 10% off

 

[awoltoday]

I think the nurse won the powerball. I wonder how much she will spend on us? 340 millon is a lot of money for the nurse to have. check this link out for shipping your milk.http://www.luggagefree.com/ they do have a code for 10% off

If the nurse wins the lottery, she probably died in shock to find out:
a) She only gets half of the 340M, because she picked 'lump sum'
b) of that 170M of lump sum, Uncle Sam takes half
c) booking another disney cruise & buying into DVC left her with
d) only $20 to spend at Wal-Mart

 

[DIS NURSE]

you are too funny! I only found out about the "Oregon" winner from my spin class this morning....our instructor annnouced that someone in the room could have possibly been the winner!

Most of us confessed that we had never even bought a ticket, ever!

I have now heard on the radio that the Oregon winner bought their ticket in some po-dunk town in rural Oregon I have never even heard of!

If we had won the $$$$$, I would first book one of those rediculously over-priced 2007 DCL cruises! I am part of the thread that talks about MANY experienced and loyal DCL cruisers leaving DCL for other vacation options because of their inflated prices!

We are feeling so fortunate to already have the 2006 Double Dip cruise booked and locked in as to $$.

I doubt we would spend LOTS more to continue cruising with DCL thereafter.....so does anyone have specific, juicy info on RCCL? What exactly is there to offer compared to DCL?

What about kids programs?
Do they have ships on the West Coast that go to Mexico?

We are experiencing our first AI vacation in the Yukotan in March so that will set the pace for what we want for the future also.

What exactly is "Beaches"? Is it like Club Med of the 1980's?
If anyone has experienced "Beaches", please report. It is only in Jamaica?

Thanks, as always.....you guys have great tips and info to share!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

That's why I never win - you have to buy a ticket

I am not weighing in the $$$$$ yet, until I see what the other cruise lines do with their 2007 prices.....Fuel, Fuel, Fuel (and uncertainties) may be a big reason.

Back to watching the storm path to see what (if anything) we need to do this weekend for preparations. Trip to Disney cancelled - I am telling myself just a well, since ther are lots of folks from the west coast heading there and I would just worry about Mother in any event.... so - we wait, we wonder and we are a very unproductive society at the moment, with the exception of gas stations, grocery and hardware stores.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Speaking Of Food And Wine - Who Has Requested One Of The Brochures In Advance Of The Trip To Epcot. I Picked Up Extras When We Were There And I Will Be Glad To Mail It Out Today Before We Blow Away --- Please Pm Me Your Address. I Tried To Search The Tread But To No Avail.....thanks.....

 

[STB ON THE BEACH]

Thanks for the info on DVC! I thought it may have taken into account the rooms and tickets that you buy, thus earn points on.......I.E. American Express - DH & I put everything on our AmEX. Even a pack of gum,,,why??? Because we've been on a two week safari to Africa curtousy of accumulating points!!! I didn't realize you had to "buy into the package" & pay maintenence fees yearly etc for the DVC. We only pay the annual fee for the cards from AmEx, and actually we expense that to the business

C&D&F,,,,we're praying for you and watching your area closely!!!! DH & I LOVE Isla Majures - it's a little island off of Cancun. Fly into Cancun, take a car to the port, then catch a 20 minute ferry over. We generally stay in the rooms with no t.v. and NO PHONES which face the Ocean!! Truly a relaxing place. But, it's about to be slammed by Wilma. We're sooooooo worried about our little place.

 

[4formickey]

The nurse would wet on her self and drop the winning ticket while the numbers would just fade away. Then one of her coworkers would call the house ,leave a message for her, telling her how sorry they are about the accident and wish her a goodtime on the cruise with her stay at the Nick hotel. Her husband will come in ,play the message with the kids in tow and hear the machine and wet themsevles also. The husband for the ticket and the kids for the trip. One happy wet family.

 

[STB ON THE BEACH]

4formickey, something tells me Dis Nurse would be more excited over the suprise of going on the Disney Cruise than holding the winning lotto ticket!!

 

[STB ON THE BEACH]

:

I doubt we would spend LOTS more to continue cruising with DCL thereafter.....so does anyone have specific, juicy info on RCCL? What exactly is there to offer compared to DCL?

What about kids programs?
Do they have ships on the West Coast that go to Mexico?

:

Dis Nurse, my whole family loves RCCL. We've experienced many different lines, but RCCL seems to top everyone so far - we'll see where they rank after our DCL trip!! Since you and are your family are so adventurous, I believe you guys would love it too. My DH is ready to try their new Freedom ship. That's the one that has the surf wave on the back of the ship. I asked him why he wants to surf on the ship so bad, when he can walk out his back door and catch a wave - especially right now with Wilma pushing in 6' - , and he said it boils down to having that experience. Freedom also has rock climbing too - I did that on my last cruise and it was a neat feeling looking out over the ocean as you climbed. So, the fact that you can climb a real mountain anytime shouldn't detour the exhilaration of climbing over the ocean. I have heard nothing but positive feedback from their kids clubs!!!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Back to the Food and Wine Saga to relieve the storm stress of waiting and wactching, since I never finished our trip report to Epcot Food and Wine

Day 3 ....That evening was Festival of the Senses, so we needed to conserve our capacity for food and drink - How to start - with
Fairy Tale at the welcome center. The Peanut and Bee exhibits are always a must stop for us, so we wandered there waiting for The World Showcase to open.

Then the Australia walk-about, of course. We rememered some of the servers from last year,,,,that was a hoot....The wines were not outstanding, but it was cool and a fun time.

I had decided to chow down on the vegetable entrees and after the wine tasting, I needed some food. DH stopped at Itlay for the Sicilian Pizza with Olive Crust and I nibbled at the crust, with a glass of the Placido Pinto Grigio. A quick trip to Morocco for the Hummus with Pita and Lemon Chicken with Yellow Rice, which we shared, with a Casa Beer on the side, and then back to USA for the 10th Anniversary Festival Beer. We were treated to the Pipe and Drum Review while I sipped my beer and DH had the BBQ beef with Cornbread.

Because it was so good, we stopped at India for another order of the Chicken Curry and I tried the Kingfisher Beer.....yummy.

Regretfully, the Spanish Omlette which sounded so good at 9:00 am, was not appealing in the heat of the day, so it was bypassed.

No Soarin', lines were too long. Instead back to the hotel Pool Bar for a quick Maragita, just because and then a long nap before the Main Event.....

OK - back to productive times.....should I work or start putting plastic tarp over my desk??????

 

[DIS NURSE]

Yup....you guys are right on....the Nov. 12th Eastern Magic Disney Cruise wins hands down over some stupid paper ticket!

It's all I can think about these days!
I have DCL on the brain BIG TIME! Dream about it every night....sometimes good sometimes bad. This darned hurricane doesn't help!

Is anyone else worried about our weather when we go? What about the beach erosion or damage from this hurricane even 2 weeks later?

There just seems to be a huge amount of tropical moisture hovering over even the Eastern islands! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!

When we went to WDW last October, just days after Hurricane Jeanne...we definitly saw damage and was no big deal....hey, The Castle sustained winds of over 100 mph! I guess I need to hear some reassurance that this hurricane isn't going to ruin WDW and especially the Nick Hotel!

Yes....it's all about me (us).

I know the hurricanes break apart and weaken as they hit land, but they are talking about this one not doing so 'cause it's going over the skinny part of Florida laterally. Am I crazy to worry about such things?

If I can't go down that Sponge Bob water slide head first after a few cocktails on Nov 20th with my kids, I'll be crushed!

What about when we are at Ron Jon's on the 10th and 11th? Are we gonna see major wash out of the beach? Please, fairygod DIS'ers, tell me all that you see in your crystal balls.

 

[smola09's mom]

We, too are watching this hurricane very closely as we have family in Florida including a mother in law that is recovering from a quadruple by-pass. She isn't exactly in any condition to be running around preparing for a storm. We've been trying to think positive thoughts in regards to weather during the cruise. Hopefully, all we will see is sunshine, sunshine, sunshine.

 

[awoltoday]

I've been quizzing some folks about what kind of rum to pick up while we're shopping. Anybody else going to pick some up? So far, it looks like Appleton Estate seems to be the one to get. Any favorites out there? I'm much better at picking out bourbon & tequila, so any advice you have is appreciated.

it probably only matters for the first drink or two anyway...

 

[barkley]

I've been quizzing some folks about what kind of rum to pick up while we're shopping. Anybody else going to pick some up? So far, it looks like Appleton Estate seems to be the one to get. Any favorites out there? I'm much better at picking out bourbon & tequila, so any advice you have is appreciated.

it probably only matters for the first drink or two anyway...

most of the places give out free samples of the local specialities so you could go that route, of course you may end up crawling back to the boat

we will likely grab some of our standby favorites, just got to remember to pack the bubble wrap.

 

[AngieBelle]

My boyfriend and I are officially joining this cruise, but this thread is way too long to go back through it all!